Evolution vs. Extinction?
With their release dates fast approaching, will the likes of Final Fantasy XIII (09/03) and God of War III (16/03) live up to our expectations?
We’re a finicky lot! When it comes to gaming, we’ve all been guilty of sticking with what’s familiar and resenting any change that might take us away from that, especially when that change happens to an established game franchise.
“The gambit system is horrible! It’s not Final Fantasy if it’s not a turn-based battle system!” (Final Fantasy XII)
“The ghosts don’t stay down after you attack them and half the game isn’t even set in Silent Hill!” (Silent Hill 4: The Room)
“It’s not survival horror any more! Where are all the zombies?” (Resident Evil 4)
I’ve been guilty of this, too. I disliked the first three hours of FFXII because of the unfamiliar battle system but now it’s ranked up there as one of my favourite games. It sends a chill down my spine (seriously) to think that I may have missed out on this fantastic game if I hadn’t persevered through the first couple of hours.
It seems that game developers are stuck between a rock and a hard place (Uncharted 2 reference, not a cliché). If their games don’t evolve, they’ll get left behind by the developers that do and if they make use of the latest technology, they’ll get criticized by the hardcore fans of ‘X’ game series for ‘selling out’ or making the game unrecognizable as part of that series.
So, because I’m nosey, do you embrace change and welcome new features/controls/battle systems or are you more of the opinion ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’?
Image: videogameblogger.com
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I love new features. I’m not a traditionalist in any sense and I welcome innovation. I thought the best thing Final Fantasy did for 11 and 12 (and FFX-2, bleh!) was go RTS, even though they DO offer you the chance to make it turn based for those that can’t grasp it. And SH4 is my favorite game because it’s from a different angle and challenging!
I embrace change, for the most part. A lot of people – unfairly – bash Square-Enix, but they do something new with each and every Final Fantasy game that comes out. The cool part is that you still know that you’re playing a Final Fantasy game because of references (chocobos, cactuars, gil, spells, weapons, etc.) from other games.
Final Fantasy XIII is going to take quite a turn because you’re no longer a party of people who drive events. Rather, events take place that involve you being on the run – constantly – making it impossible to stop and say “Hi” to someone walking down the street. Many are already complaining about the so-called “linearity” of the game, but I think it’s great how SE is making a storyline that involves having to escape and fight for your lives, a fact that many FF fans (and former FF fans) don’t really seem to appreciate.
I’m pretty flexible, actually. Whilst I may grumble a bit at first, I’m pretty open to change, and I think the developers who push the envelope – take, for example, Cimax and their deeply innovative Silent Hill Shattered Memories – are the ones to watch. It’s very easy to churn out the same old thing time after time. It’s much harder to try something new – and harder still to do that in the confines of an established franchise like FF.
And I loved SH4. So there. :p